


The Same Stitch

by Zinogrebait



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)
Genre: Batjokes, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Obsession, Opposites yet the same, Tragic Romance, Unresolved Emotional Tension, they complete each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 14:30:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21147263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zinogrebait/pseuds/Zinogrebait
Summary: It's been a while since Bruce and John have seen each other, ever since the latter was thrown back in Arkham Asylum. He swore to be Batman's greatest enemy; the knife in his side until the end of time. They're drawn to each other, and things have been left unsaid between them for far too long. One night will change that.





	The Same Stitch

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for the game beyond this point! There's a bunch of stuff here that won't make sense unless you've played/watched all of it.
> 
> This is my long overdue and small 'follow-up' to the ending I got. Nothing special. I was left super angsty, wonder-struck, and also reminded of just how much I love those characters (and the intepretation of them). Both endings for the game are awesome, but personally I favour the villain route, simply because it feels more like classic batjokes and really blew me away with their chemistry. Hit me right in the feels full blast. I've mixed and matched a few of the post-credits scenes throughout this fic. (My favourite is when Joker sees Batman watching over him from outside the window at Arkham) but that's only with the vigilante ending for him so, yeah.

A violent strike of thunder broke John out of his thoughts.

"Keep it _DOWN_, will you?" he snapped, bolting upright in his cot. He marched over to the window, his long, pale fingers curling into fists until he was standing close enough for the tip of his nose to press against the cold glass. Rain lashed against the windowpanes, and if it weren't for the bars in his way, he would've lashed right back and broken it into pieces. "Can't even hear the _voices _in my own _head_!"

That mellowed him, if only a bit, out of sheer amusement. He couldn't help but giggle uncontrollably, until out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a shape _darker _than the stormy sky. An ominous silhouette, latched onto the steeple of the watchtower opposite his cell, with a cape that wavered in the wind, and two unmistakable, pointy _ears_. Not many things sent a chill down his spine anymore, but this was one of them. And it _wasn't _in the way that _most _criminals felt when they saw the sinister shadow of the caped crusader. This... this filled him... with _joy. _"I knew," he grinned, "you'd _never_ really abandon me..."

They were staring _right at each other_. He could _feel _it, making his heart _thunder_ against his chest, louder and far more violent than the ongoing storm outside.

"You know just how to... _light _up my evening, don't you." Joker's eyes were fixated on him as he suddenly grabbed the bars, holding them tight enough to... well, his knuckles were already pale, but he squeezed so tightly that it _hurt. _"Nothing can keep us apart, can it."

Batman grappled away. Joker grinned, as unsettling as ever, exhilarated just by the mere _sighting _of the man_. _When it was evident he wasn't coming back, he spun around and grabbed the doll of Bruce Wayne he kept on his bed. Torn, missing an arm, stained all over with red lipstick that would _never _wash off. He'd battered it almost as badly as the real thing. _"I wish we'd never met, Joker!" _he deepened his voice in mockery of his dearest friend and greatest enemy. "Well! I can't change the _past_, Bruce. But I _can _make sure our future is very, _very _bright."

He grabbed his super secret lighter that no one knew about, besides the guy from next door he'd beat mercilessly to get it, _of course_, and he set the doll on _fire. _He collapsed on the mattress in a fit of laughter that grew louder by the second, until he was practically _hysterical_, kicking his legs all over the place in glee as he watched it _burn. _It'd be a _real _hoot to see Batman performing the stop, drop and roll, flailing about with his cloak ablaze. Such a thought brought _tears _to his eyes.

_"I wish... we had never... _ _ **met.** _ _"_

_What followed had been agony. _

_For Bruce too. John made sure of it. Driving his knife deep into the man's side, all the way to the hilt, with a sickening, satisfying squelch. It felt good, euphoric, to see that handsome, bruised face twist with suffering. Despite the strangled laugh that left him, and the way he smiled with such glee, it was just like looking in a mirror. Only, he wasn't the one with a blade sticking out of his hip. No, this was a different kind of pain. The type that made men go mad. _

_"Gh..." Bruce's eyes peeled open slowly, shifting down to where blood stained the fabric of his suit crimson. _

_Joker's thin lips stretched into a grin. His throat felt on the verge of collapsing, burning like fire. "...you say... the cruelest things, Bruce. But I know you don't mean them."_

_Bruce fell off of him, hitting the floor with a hefty thud. _

_"You and I... we're meant to be together." Joker's voice quivered with excitement. With longing. "I'll be the knife in your side until the end of time... or until... you finally bleed out... heh...heheheh..."_

_He burst into laughter. It was a twisted, broken sound, full of such delight yet despiar, and it rang within Bruce's ears like the tolling of church bells. A promise that Batman was fated to dance with him forever... a curse that Bruce Wayne would have to bear. Inescapable. _

_Two threads in the same stitch. _

Bruce grunted. Tiffany's foot had connected right under his chin, sending him stumbling back a few paces, and she hadn't been holding back. Her eyes widened in surprise that she'd actually managed to land such a sloppy hit, making her pause. "Uh, Bruce?"

He rubbed the sore spot on his chin, blue eyes shifting to her instantly.

"I hope you don't mind me saying this, but... you seem a bit distracted. Is something wrong?" she asked, searching his eyes for answers, but she didn't find anything. He stood there in silence for a good couple of moments before giving a sigh and a shake of his head, straightening his back.

"I'm fine. Let's continue."

She didn't look so sure. Bruce no longer gave her the time to contemplate. She had relaxed her guard and he charged right for her, intending to deliver a sucker punch right in the gut. Her eyes widened before they narrowed in concentration, and she proceeded to duck under his arm with her quick, nimble body. She was fast... but he was faster. As soon as she was facing him again he relentlessly started delivering staggering blows that she had no choice but to block with both of her arms, until her back was nearly against the railing, and with one sweep of his leg, he'd taken her off both her feet. She landed on her backside with a thud.

He stared down at her, folding his arms across his chest, and after a moment of reflection, she looked up at him. _"_Ow."

"You need to think about what your next move is going to be. Just reacting to what I'm doing won't get you anywhere." Bruce informed her, prompting her to look moderately annoyed with herself, but then, he offered her a hand, and some words of encouragement. "...but you're fast. Use that to your advantage. You don't always have to be throwing punches. Run circles around your enemies."

She took his hand, and he helped her up to her feet. She brushed herself down. "Well, it's better than when I first started out, isn't it?"

"You'll have to work even harder if you want to come with me."

He knew he wasn't particularly nice, and he _certainly _wasn't lenient, but it was for her own good. Her safety was priority at _all _times. This was dangerous work, and she _knew _that. She knew that more than _anyone_. Her father had paid the ultimate price for it. It was something that Bruce... that _Batman_... would _never _forget. Time healed pain, turned them into scars, and grief was a process, but this was different. _Bruce_ was different. Lucius Fox's death had and would continue to _always _be an open wound, an empty, _hollow _hole in his heart, taking place alongside his parents.

It was his fault... blood on _his _hands. Alfred had driven the point home, before packing his case and leaving. People that crossed their path got hurt, and sometimes, they didn't come back from it.

If anything ever happened to _her _under _his _mentorship...

"Yeah I know. But I mean, I must be doing _something _right, since I'm not on my ass every five seconds." Tiffany said, and gave him a small smile, abruptly ending that thought. "Not gonna lie, kind of excited to make my first debut... _official_ debut, that is."

"We don't do this for excitement." Bruce told her, and watched her face fall. She bitterly turned her gaze to the panelling on the floor. "...but... if you keep it up... your 'first debut' will be sooner than you think."

She looked back up at him. Although she was still sceptical, the way her expression eased was enough to tell him he'd make her feel a little better. The last thing he wanted to do was drive her away, but he knew, if she was strong enough, if she _was_ serious about going out on the field, then she _would _persevere. "I was thinking of a name, too, by the way. Y'know," she said softly, "since going by Tiffany or Fox is a little _obvious_."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked, raising a brow.

"It's something I'm gonna be stuck with for the long-term, so I made sure it worked in every scenario. In case they wanna build a flashy signal on top of the GCPD for me, too," she looked at him, catching the small frown that tugged his lips, and she chuckled, "kidding, kidding. But if they did, it wouldn't sound stupid. Here."

She head off down the steps, away from the training arena. Bruce followed her all the way up to the Batcomputer, where she happily plopped down in his chair and started tapping away on the keyboard, knowing exactly what was what and flawlessly navigating it as if she were the original creator. The longer he stared at her, the more he started to see her father. The resemblance was uncanny. Tiffany, however... she was _special_. Her work on his suit and tech in general had opened so many doors that he hadn't really even thought about before. "And... _bam_." Tiffany leaned back in the chair, looking mighty pleased with herself. The screen lit up in purple. Bruce's eyes widened.

"You said... an alias. Not a whole new suit." Bruce's voice had dropped to near enough a whisper in his surprise, his arms dropping to his sides. It looked like a much more refined version of the first ever costume she'd worn. He recognized some of _his _armour there, light-weight model, painted silver, a contrast easy on the eyes against the deep plum fabric of the hooded cloak.

Tiffany smirked. "You like it? Para-aramid synthetic lining. Full spectrum, surround heads-up display. And the face guard? That's the voice changer I've been needing... the one you've been keeping on about. Has a breathing filter, keeps me safe from having my teeth bashed in... and looks bad-ass. So you can see, it's pretty much full coverage, what with my visor and all. No need to worry about my identity being exposed now. Maybe I'll make an alternate version too. Like a face-plate... some kind of _mask_..."

Bruce's gaze honed in on the small print in the left corner, along with the model number. "...Sparrow."

"Thought it was fitting. And I like birds." Tiffany turned the chair to face him, giving him a smile. She was trying to hide just how thrilled she was about this entire thing, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. Her face stayed straight for the most part.

"The Sparrow-Signal." He said suddenly, and unexpectedly, bringing up what she'd said earlier. "Really."

"As if that's any stupider than the Bat-Signal." Tiffany retorted playfully. Bruce, to her surprise, gave the smallest chuckle. She hadn't heard him laugh for a long while now, and it boosted her confidence. She tapped away on the keyboard, and dismissed her work off the monitor, returning it to its usual standby state. "Anyway... I know I'm getting ahead of myself a bit... but I just want to be prepared. I'm putting 90% of my energy into training. I _swear_."

"You did good." Bruce said after a lingering moment of silence passed. Tiffany usually appreciated a compliment, but she'd lost her smile now, staring at the blank screen. He noticed instantly.

"...Bruce." _There _it was. The way her voice switched to serious, how she avoided making eye contact with him as she slowly lifted herself out of the chair, clearly trying to fish for the right words before she opened her mouth. When she finally met his eyes again, he knew what she was going to say. The Batcave's silence suddenly seemed stifling. She took in a deep breath. "Are you sure... you don't want to talk about it?"

She didn't even have to clarify what she meant. Before he instantly declined, she added, "please. Ugh. I messed it up already. I know you _don't _want to talk about it... but maybe you _should_. I get that the whole loner brooding thing works best for you on most days, but this has been under your skin for _months_."

Bruce's silence frustrated her. It didn't last long before she spoke up again, because this wasn't the first time he'd stood there like a statue. "...I know I'm not Alfred... and I'm not here to replace him... but you used to confide in him. Is it really such a bad thing to let out your thoughts every now and then? You haven't breathed a _word _of what happened that night. You should get it off your chest... Bruce?"

_He'd lost control. His knuckles were raw and bloodied, but not as much as the clown's face. Joker spluttered with a painful chuckle, as the last blow knocked him hard enough to choke on his own blood. "You should s-see your face!" he cackled, before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he went totally limp with a few more pathetic, strangled breaths._

_Bruce was heaving. He wanted to bring his fist down again, but he settled for grabbing his collar and slamming him back down onto the floor. When John didn't respond, when he didn't so much as give a pained grunt or a chuckle, the realization hit. That sudden, sharp sting, the cold that gripped him as if he'd just plunged into icy water, his mouth running dry. His heart stuttered. "John."_

_Nothing._

_"John!" Bruce growled, bracing both of his hands on Joker's chest. He leaned down and placed his ear to the man's heart, and what he heard was terrifyingly erratic. Bruce bolted upright, suddenly overcome with nausea, as he shoved his hand down his pocket and grabbed his Bat-Stunner, amping up the shock. It nearly fell out of his grasp. Batman could keep his calm in any dangerous situation, even with lives on the line. But this was different. This _ _ **whole thing ** _ _was _ _ **different.** _ _ He primed the gadget to use as a defibrillator, but time was running out. _

_The first shock went off. _

_Then the second._

_"Come on!" Bruce seethed through grit teeth, before finally roaring; _ _ **"COME ON!"** _

_The third. Desperation found its way into every movement, every word. "Please!" he begged to the night, and with one final, long shock, he finally relented, falling further over the man. He grabbed his vest, balling the fabric in his fists. The silence was deafening. He was drowning in it. Drowning in everything. "...no..."_

_With a deep, gaping gasp, John's eyes flew open, and he broke out into a coughing fit as he struggled to catch his breath. Their eyes met. "Bruce..."_

"_Bruce_!" Tiffany finally snapped him out of it, clicking her fingers in front of his nose. He blinked, and she seemed to realize his focus was now on her. "You were literally a million miles away! This is _exactly _why you need to talk! If not to me, then someone else! I know you won't go to a therapist... what about Selina? You can call her right? She'll come to you?"

"...I'm fine." Bruce trailed, and briefly caught her gaze before he turned away. He looked down at his own hands, and for a moment, he had expected them to be stained in blood. "It's alright."

"No it's not!" she barked. "You've not been the same since Ace Chemicals! Alfred wouldn't have just ignored this. He —

"Alfred's _gone_, Tiffany." Bruce turned back to her sharply, after hearing that name so many times from her mouth. "He left because he was always caught up in _my _problems. Problems that could have been avoided if I'd been... _better_. I almost _killed_ him from worry. Batman almost killed him."

His outburst caused an uncomfortable silence between them both. Bruce recovered quickly, the guilt settling in. His temper had been worse than usual lately. "Tiffany... I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"No... no. You're right. I shouldn't keep bringing him up. I did say I'm not here to replace him," she took over, looking remorseful, no longer meeting his eyes, "but he was _old_. He never joined you out _there_... like _I'm_ going to. We're gonna face a lot of shit together Bruce. If I couldn't handle it... then I wouldn't be standing here right now."

He knew it was true; but letting people in wasn't easy. Especially for him. Alfred had left long ago, but some of his words were still fresh, and hurt like they'd just been spoken. _'Sometimes, it's as if Batman creates the evil he means to destroy.' _Bruce had been furious, but he had understood. He knew, deep down, that part of it was true. That because of him, John had become Joker. And now he'd lost both of them.

But it was better than Alfred having to bury another Wayne.

"Just... promise me you'll talk to someone." Tiffany said desperately. _"Anyone."_

"...I don't have many friends anymore." Bruce responded, quieter than before. Tiffany wished she could have comforted him... but she knew a hug and a quick word of encouragement wasn't going to do anything. He wasn't going to let her in. She wasn't sure he would let _anyone _in ever again.

Suddenly, the Batcomputer lit up. Their attention shifted to it instantly. There was relief in Bruce's eyes, and he sent Tiffany a sideways glance as he proceeded to check who was calling. "...Gordon," he announced. Tiffany crossed her arms, now standing at his side, and with that, Bruce put him through.

_ **"Batman!"** _

"Jim." Bruce answered instantly. "What's wrong."

** _"We need you here now—_ **

Bruce was instantly concerned. Gunshots echoed on Gordon' end of the call, followed by an unsettling scream.

** _"—damn it!"_ **

"...Bruce... the signal. It's coming from outside of the city." Tiffany had already traced the call. She looked visibly shocked. "...it's... Arkham."

"Gordon," he demanded, a terrible, horrible feeling settling with him. He curled his fists, which didn't go unnoticed by his sidekick. "Answer me!"

He already knew, but he needed to hear it. He had to be sure.

** _"It's Joker. He's escaped."_ **

_"Uh, Bruce, uhm... one... one more thing."_

_John came to a stop, turning around to face him. The secluded little alleyway they were in seemed safe enough for a quick chat, even though the police were on the way, given the brawl that'd just happened in the bar. They'd have to scatter soon. Bruce folded his arms._

_"You can't... tell anyone this." John approached. There was almost something menacing about slow steps, until he was standing right in front of him. His mouth split into a grin. "This is big. Huge."_

_A multitude of things ran through the billionaire's head. What met his ears, however, was the last thing he expected to hear. _

_"I think... I'm in love."_

_Their eyes met. Bruce's own widened. There was something about that confession that completely caught him off guard, and the words came out before he'd actually properly considered them. "And uh... are you in love with... with me?"_

_The silence that settled was daunting to say the least. Bruce wasn't one to get embarrassed easily; he'd had his fair share of girlfriends... and contrary to popular belief, rejection. Nowadays, the playboy persona was all just a front. He didn't have time for relationships. They were exhausting and, with his secret to keep, dangerous. _

_Letting people in... _

_John had been staring at the floor for a few seconds. It felt like an eternity. There was a look of confusion on his face... a passing flitter of contemplation. He lifted his gaze, and for once, his tone was softer. Almost sad. It was the first time Bruce saw him smile with regret. "...no."_

The Batmobile sped down the road full speed.

_ **"Bruce... you're not going to like this."** _

"What." Batman growled.

Tiffany's hesitance to continue didn't go unnoticed. "...it's Joker. He's holed himself up in..."

"Ace Chemicals." The caped crusader finished for her as she trailed off. There was something in his voice that frightened her. It sounded livid, as if he were one wrong word away from completely losing his temper.

_**"I know you don't want to hear it, but he's clearly trying to get under your skin. And... it's working," **_she told him, _**"are you sure you don't want to wait for Gordon? The GCPD will be able to back you up."**_

The response he gave was exactly what she expected, but it didn't make her feel any better with that knowledge. "I need to do this alone."

_**"But why?"**_ she demanded. _**"You're playing right into his hands."**_

"That's what I want him to think."

The smokestacks came into view, always expelling that eerie, green fog that fed into the night. _Poisoning _it. Just the sight of the place filled him with a deep sense of dread_._ He suppressed it, and all that was left was _anger_.

_ **"Gordon is on his way... it'll take a while. Joker caused a mess back at the asylum. Just be careful. Please."** _

"I'm going to bring him to justice." Batman's unwavering resolute inspired confidence, strong-willed even at times like these, but Tiffany still felt like this was _different_. Tonight, he was going to be going up against his demons. Batman was always ready... _but was Bruce?_

The interior of the factory had degraded since the last time he'd been here. He remembered it all like it was yesterday. He remembered when Joker had shot Gordon in both his legs and rendered him incapable of walking without a cane, but in the long term, that hadn't even been the worst wound. Gordon's pride... _his sense of duty and integrity_... that'd taken the _biggest _blow. He'd been unable to forgive himself for betraying Batman, trading him off to Joker, even though it had all been in the name of the greater good. Sometimes, those kinds of choices _had _to be made. The choices that Batman _could _make, and suffer the consequences, but Jim? It had taken its toll. Bruce knew how that felt. But with hard work and perseverance, something the both of them were good at, they could be _better_. If they were a _team_. But here he was. Going in _alone_. The irony wasn't lost on him.

"Joker!" he called out, storming across the walkway which was built over the bubbling, green vats. His steps were loud, all the way until he was standing directly in the center of the chamber. He wanted to be seen. All of his senses were on alert. He kept track of every shadow in every corner. So when he caught drift of the slightest movement, he lifted his arm just in time before a bullet embed itself in his shoulder.

"You know, for someone who's gimmick is skulking around unseen in the shadows, you do like to make _a lot _of noise..."

"You've already lost." Batman's deep voice was near enough a growl.

_Laughter. _Of _course _he was laughing. Batman turned slowly with it, making sure to track Joker's every movement, until finally, he stepped into the dim light, standing on the balcony overlook. His murderous smile hadn't changed from the last time they'd met. He waved around the gun in his hand like it were a toy. "C'mon Bats, you can do better then that! I didn't break out for cheesy one liners and... bad jokes," he grinned, "that's _my _thing! In fact, I got a real _tickler _for you! So Jim Gordon _walks _into a bar..."

He waited for a few moments, then, _"just kidding!"_

Batman aimed his grappling hook right for Joker. It shot towards him, but with a cackle he clumsily swerved out of the way. Instead it wrapped around the railing and Batman launched himself towards the platform. "_Sort of! _I hear Jimmy has a _cane _now! Kinda makes the punchline a little less impactful, but there's ways of fixing that... isn't there."

His response was a punch to the face. Joker tumbled back with a deranged snicker, bringing his hand up to his nose. "_Ouch_. Heh, Bruce... you really put your _all _into that one. Did you miss me?"

"You're going back to Arkham." The Dark Knight approached him, looking as menacing as usual, his fists clenched tight enough that if not for his suit, he would've drawn blood by this point. Joker merely found amusement in it, amongst the excitement, that intense... _rise. _

"You don't even know _why _I broke out in the first place! I mean, it's self-explanatory. _Who'd wanna be stuck in there forever?_ No, but... there is a reason. One that... is _really _gonna getcha..."

Batman grit his teeth and broke into a sprint. With a maniacal laugh, his adversary sent off a few stray shots from his gun before _willingly _falling backwards over the railing, plunging down straight towards the vats below. It was the bat's grappling hook that stopped him from taking a dip in the chemicals, leaving him idling in the air. "I had a _dream _like this once!" Joker borderline snarled with a wicked grin, his wide, green eyes locked onto the other man. "In Arkham. I was falling, and you... well, you caught me. Isn't that just a _funny _coincidence?"

Bruce grit his teeth as he proceeded to haul him up fast, momentarily disorienting him until he landed with a loud thump on the metal walkway. "What do you have planned," he demanded from the clown, "how did you get _out_."

"One question at a time, Bruce!" Joker chuckled, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. A split second later, he was dragged up by his collar, feet dangling off the floor as his upper torso drooped over the railing. "..._oof_! I literally just _threw _myself down there, do you really think this is going to scare _me_—

One solid punch in the gut shut him up. Instead, he burst into laughter.

"Oh, I missed this," he said breathlessly in a wheeze, "missed... _us_."

"There is no _**us**_." Batman bent him backwards a little harder. "_Why are you here,_ Joker."

"We're drawn to this place, aren't we? Always find ourselves back here." Joker breathed, grabbing hold of Bruce's own hands on his collar. "You and I. Two comets on a collision course. Haha..._hahaha_!"

His laughter rang through the entire chamber. Batman's patience was short... shorter than usual, in fact, bringing him to punch the clown hard enough to make him sputter and then throw him down to the floor, letting him skid until he hit the other side of the rail.

"Ack," he took a moment to clear his throat, then looked up at the approaching shadow. Nothing could wipe the smile off his face right now. "_That's _it..."

"You're sick." Batman growled.

"Yeah, as if I haven't heard _that _one before." Joker pushed himself back up onto his backside, dabbing at the blood on his lip with his gloved fingers. "Heh... but, the funny part is... _you are too_. We _thrive _off of each other."

Batman came to a stop right in front of him. "I'm _nothing _like you."

_**"I'm nothing like you!"**_ Joker repeated in mockery, then giggled, "reminds me of that night... _you know_... the one when you told me that exact same reason for saving my life."

"It still stands." Batman clenched his fists again.

"It _really _gets under your skin doesn't it." Joker bristled. It was with anything _but _fear. "That all I could think about in Arkham was _you_. And I know the feeling... was _mutual_... you'd come by every other night to check on me, across the rooftops. No matter the weather, _rain or shine_! That's what I call _dedication_!"

Batman's eyes widened slightly, before he grimaced, and slightly turned his head to cast his gaze elsewhere. Joker grinned even harder at the silent confession. The _shame._ But then he looked back, and that steely expression returned. "I was making sure something like _this _wouldn't happen." Batman told him coldly. "You're nothing. Just another _criminal_. And when I find out who helped you escape, they'll be put away in a cell. Right next to _yours_."

For the first time that night, Joker's grin dipped into a frown.

"You're delusional." Batman grabbed his upper arm. His grip was strong enough to leave bruises. "And when you're locked away... you can think whatever you want to."

He went to pull him to his feet. Instead, Batman ended up on one knee as Joker sprung a blade out from the tip of his _boot, _making sure it cut deep into the man's side. "Why am I getting a sense of deja vu? Oh _yeah_," the clown cackled, "because I'm really a _thorn _in your _side_, aren't I?!"

Joker took the opportunity to make a run for it across the walkway, squawking while he did so, until he'd split open the big doors that led to the roof, darting away up the stairs.

_**"Batman! Are you alright?" **_Tiffany's concerned voice met his ears._** "...I heard everything. He's... one messed up individual."**_

"...Joker's on the run," he responded, grabbing the railing and lifting himself up. He looked at the stab wound and then turned his focus to the stairway. "I'm going after him."

_**"Gordon's almost there. Just hold on a bit longer."**_ Tiffany assured him.

"I need to do this alone." Batman suddenly told her, much to her chagrin.

"_**Seriously? I'm not even there with you! What... what are you planning to do? Bruce?"**_

He went dark.

She couldn't _believe _he'd just cut her off.

Batman hoped she trusted him. He hoped she believed he wasn't going to... _lose it._ The GCPD was closing in, and Joker was out of his sight. Wiht no time to lose, he finally pursued.

"Who were you chatting to down there? Oh, _oh_, lemme guess! _Alfred_?" Joker stood on the very edge of the roof, his back to the city as he faced Batman as the latter emerged up the stairs.

"...Alfred's gone." Batman revealed to him unexpectedly, through grit teeth, prompting the clown's eyes to actually widen, before he brought a hand to his mouth to '_stifle_' his giggle; it didn't work.

"Woops! Sorry, Batsy. So he's having tea and crumpets up at the pearly gates, eh? Old coot finally... _popped his clogs_?" he grinned. "...leaving poor you... _alone_ all day? In that big old manor house of yours?"

"No. He left." Batman started to head towards him. "Because of _you_."

"_Me_?!" Joker exclaimed. "...ha_ha_... I'd be inclined to believe you, if I didn't know you _sooo _well."

Suddenly, Joker brought his gun to his _own head_.

Batman stopped dead in his tracks. "Put it down."

"Oh, now it's _'put it down'_, is it?" Joker retorted. "Why'd _you _care? It wouldn't be you pulling the trigger. You get to stick to your code... and I'd be _gone_! Well. If you think in black and white that is. But we _both _know... things between us... they're a bit... _grey_."

His chuckle was sinister.

"You don't deserve the easy way out." Batman growled, but Joker shrugged him off.

"..._neither do you_..." he smirked, a disturbing flicker in his gaze. His thumb was still on the trigger. He almost seemed to _tremble_. Batman quickly closed the gap between them, and twisted Joker's arm so the shot went off into the sky. Joker laughed the _hardest _he had since the last time they saw each other, the bruising pressure on his wrist forcing him to let go of the weapon. It fell all the way down to the pavement below, swallowed by darkness. He was fully expecting a punch to the stomach or worse, but when nothing came, slowly, his laughter started to die out, until it was a few feeble, snotty giggles. "You just... can't _do it_, can you?"

Batman stared beyond him, over his shoulder. Out at the city. His grip remained, one hand on the clown's arm, the other on his waist.

"...as long as I'm alive... I'll _hurt _people." Joker closed his eyes, leaning his head back. He was _happy _to put his life in the bat's hands; to know that, if he were to let go, he would fall to his death below. "You can end it, if you just let _go_. But you won't. It makes me feel as _free _as a _feather _in the wind... heh... _heh heh_..."

"Why did you bring me here."

Joker's eyes slowly opened again. He gave him a smirk. "For the world's greatest detective, you sure do suck at figuring out the _obvious_."

They stared at each other in silence for a good moment, then Joker leaned in close. Closer than what Batman was comfortable with, because it made his heart stutter, that twisted, lipstick smile near enough gracing his own lips. "Because," he drawled, "I _missed _you."

"...you're lying." Batman's grasp tightened. Joker chortled.

"Now why would I go and do that?" he paused. "Don't answer that."

"You broke out of Arkham. You must've been planning it for months... with inside help."

"That I don't deny. But I could have gone anywhere, hm? Anywhere but here. The one place I know you would come _running_." Joker's eyes lit up. "Where _you _would come to _me_."

"Enough." Batman pulled him away from the ledge, switching their positions so he was no longer in danger of falling. He let him go only then. "You're going back."

"Don't talk like one of them; _you're not_," he snapped all of a sudden, the tension rocketing when he grabbed a knife from his pocket. He went to strike, but it was obvious that he didn't actually expect to be successful. Batman blocked him easily and knocked the blade right out of his hands, grabbing him by the collar once more. Only this time, Joker grabbed him back. He bunched up the dark fabric of his cape. "You're _my _Batman. You got it? Not some stupid _cop_."

_My Batman. _Bruce recalled the only other time he'd said that, when he had smacked Freeze over the head hard enough to give him a concussion._ 'That's for messing with my Batman!'_ he'd exclaimed, _'get your own hero!'_

Back then, things had been so different.

"...what do you want." Batman finally asked him, and that smile returned to grace the Joker's pale face. He leaned in close. He smelled like _gunpowder _and _death_, but there was something so _familiar _there, too.

"You once asked me if I loved you—

"You already answered that question."

Joker chuckled, but it was almost pained. "What can I say?" he whispered. "Harley really had me wrapped around her finger... didn't she?"

"You made your choice."

Joker braced a gloved hand on Batman's chest, long, slim fingers splayed out across the insignia. He traced the wings slightly, then when completely still. "I did," he said, "at the _party_."

_'I try so hard to make you happy; but you're never going to get over __him__?! Are you?!'_ They both remembered those words from Harley Quinn's mouth. The moment Joker had stopped her from detonating the virus, because he didn't _want _Bruce to die. She'd set it off regardless... she'd done it, even though John hadn't even been _wearing_ a gask mask. Fortunately, Bruce had defused it by then, but that had been the official end of Harley and Joker's happy little partnership. He'd seen her for what she was long before then, anyway. He just liked to _toy around_.

"You stopped her because you enjoyed torturing me. You wanted revenge."

"No, I chose you! You're both _rotten_. Only, you're _my _kind of rotten." Joker argued, then started laughing. "...look at us. Arguing like an old _married _couple. Kinda _cute_."

Silence.

"Oh, Bruce," Joker sighed, his fingers creeping towards the vigilante's neck. "The truth is... _I need you_."

Batman had been motionless, but then he caught Joker's wrist before it could reach his cheek. He finally looked him in the eyes. "Like I said," he repeated firmly, _"you made your choice."_

Joker blinked, and then with a frustrated, fierce growl he pulled himself out of Batman's grasp, which the latter didn't object to. "I told you no, but I had to think _really _hard about it, Bruce! If you couldn't see that, then you're an _idiot_! As stupid as you look!" he snapped, pacing with his hands on his hips in a circle, then turning to face him. He pointed at him, accusation dripping from each word that left his mouth. "I was still... _finding _myself! And I _did_. I dropped Harley for you like a goddamn _hot potato _and you? Well, you sacrificed your old man."

Batman's gaze snapped to him.

"I'm right, aren't I?" he hissed, then he _laughed_. "I knew it! You picked your crusade over him — you picked _ME_!"

"Alfred did what he had to do..." Batman's voice dropped lower. "And so did I."

"Oh, I _know_," he was practically _teeming _with excitement, "you can't stop being Batman. It's like a drug to you, isn't it? And you're a drug to _me_. You always _have_ been. We're drawn to each other. We _need _each other! The night you almost killed me also happened to be one of the best nights of my entire _life_! And that... _that's _special."

"Best nights?" Batman repeated. There it was again. The _anger_. "_Best nights_? You _poisoned _everything."

"Maybe between you, Jimmy, Catsy and that murderous little _Fox _of yours," he grinned, "_but me and you_?"

"I nearly crossed a line I swore I never would." Batman told him, but he had a feeling he already knew that.

"Yes, your _code_. As happy as I am to be kickin', I gotta say, it would've been a real laugh if you hadn't been able to revive me!"

"...I never would have forgiven myself."

"That's the best part!"

Bruce turned away from him. It was foolish, but he was _flawed_. Joker watched his every move. "...it was more than just my code," he said suddenly, coming face to face with his reflection in a puddle, "but you took what I gave you and twisted it into something ugly and wrong."

"Ugly?" Joker guffawed. "_Wrong?_!"

"You broke my heart."

Joker's smile faltered. "That's not funny."

"Because it _isn't _a _joke_!" Batman snapped, turning to face him.

"I was so busy looking at you. Admiring you. Wanting to _be _like you!" Joker waved his hands about, then he stopped. "...to be _loved _by you..."

Bruce lifted his head.

"If you'd taken five seconds out of your day to look at me, really look at me, _then you'd have seen_!" Joker declared, sounding borderline hysterical as he marched over to him. "But no. Too busy stabbing me in the back, weren't you, Bruce? Too busy making peace with _Riddler's _murderer, you double-crossing, two-faced, _hypocritical_—

"Tiffany is _nothing _like you."

"You told me you don't make exceptions, but here you are, making exceptions, for everyone but _me_!"

"No, Joker. She _wants _to be better. She's working hard to pay for what she did."

"Ooh, like, a _sidekick_? Is _that _it?" he stopped right in front of him. "What would her dearly departed father think of that?"

He'd hit a sore spot. He chuckled, watching the viglante's jaw tighten. "Let me guess... you're honoring his wishes, welcoming her into the fold? Or is she just the replacement?" he grinned. "What if she ends up _hurt_? Or _worse_! _Exploded?! _Into _tiny_ pieces! Like daddy!"

Batman grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in real close. "Is that a threat."

"No, no...! Well, yes. _But_," he breathed, "but only because I _love it _when you hold me like this. I know just how to press all those _buttons_ of yours. _Heheh_..."

His mischievous little chuckle made Bruce look down, to notice Joker's feet dangling above the floor. He let go, none too gently. But they didn't move away from each other.

"You really needed to get all that off your chest, didn't you? Spend so many nights feeling sorry for your old pal John?" Joker laughed, unable to keep it in. Then he closed the gap between them. "..._Bruce_... you... _are one messed up guy_. And I... _ache _for _you_."

Joker kissed him.

It was tender.

To Bruce, he tasted like _chemicals_. That was warning enough to pull away, but he didn't; his hand came to rest on the clown's hip, his much slimmer, lithe form pressed against the hardened, muscled exterior of the batsuit. A lovely shudder ran down John's spine. He shrugged off his jacket, leaving him in his waistcoat. It felt good to be free of it. Bruce's arm looped around his waist and pulled him in close, much to John's delight, and the knife he'd been holding in his palm clattered on the ground.

The distant sound of police sirens brought them out of it.

Bruce abruptly broke away.

"That... was _long _overdue." John grinned after a moment of savouring it, a dark twinkle in his eye. Bruce wanted to put distance between them, but John gripped his arm, taking a single step to stop that from happening and bring them together again. "You got a _little _something on your face, Brucie. Let me uh... let me get that for you."

Joker lifted his thumb to lazily wipe the bright, red lipstick on the corner of his mouth, but only made it worse by smudging it more. He blinked, and then gave a sheepish grin, and a chuckle to boot. "_...all clear."_

Batman turned off his voice modulator. "John."

"Yeah, they're coming to get me, I know. But I got what I wanted." Joker's lips stretched into a smile, suddenly putting his ear right to where Bruce's heart could be heard thumping fast. "..._this_. It really _is _broken, isn't it... all those pieces, lost in the _darkness_..."

"John..." he repeated quietly.

"I love you." John said, and what followed was a long, relieved sigh, like the weight of the world had just been lifted off his shoulders. He started chuckling.

"Even if I believed you... after _everything _you've done... do you really think we could be..." Bruce trailed off when John quickly leaned back and put a pale finger to the other man's lips.

"I don't need to hear that." Joker whispered. The sirens were loud now, the glare of blue and red lights flashing brightly in the darkness below.

"Don't need to... or don't want to." Bruce's words made John's face twist in contemplation, and bitterness. He shook his head.

"_Don't need to_," he confirmed, sounding quite sure about it, "because... _you're all I want... _you... always _were_."

"You had me, John." The _pain _finally got to Bruce. The _anguish_. The _regret_. It washed over the anger and buried it deep, prompting him to reach out and touch the face of the man that had once been his closest friend. The man he'd _loved_. Then, his touch fell away, as quickly as it'd been there. "...you had me. I _always _saw you."

Joker stared at him with a serious expression on his face, before he laughed. And laughed. And he didn't _stop_. He laughed so hard that he almost doubled over, tears springing to his eyes, until he was _bawling_, and Batman did nothing but stand there and watch. Rain spat from the blackened sky.

Batman turned his head. The police had just entered the building, and within minutes they'd be on the roof.

"This makes things... _so _much more interesting," Joker cackled, "hah, _hahahaha_!"

Bruce didn't just feel pitiful; he felt responsible. The mess of a man on the floor at his feet. The innocent blood spilled. The death toll would keep climbing, and there was nothing to be done about it.

GCPD officers finally burst out onto the roof, their guns aimed on the pair, but when they saw there wasn't any immediate threat, they lowered this weapons.

"Batman got the son of a bitch," one of the cops called in on the radio, "he's in our custody."

As they yanked his arms behind his back, and clasped cuffs on his wrists, Joker couldn't help but chime in. "He sure did, officer," he breathed as he was pulled to his feet, sparing one last glance at the vigilante, "_he sure did_."

"Batman, Gordon wants to speak with you." Detective Montoya arrived on the scene, proceeding to make a beeline straight for the vigilante. "...Batman?"

The Dark Knight took off. The rain was pelting down now, leaving her to stand on the edge of the rooftop and watch him fade into the distance, another shadow in the night.

_"How can I make her see me?"_

_"You just need to be genuine. You're special, John. She just needs to see that."_

_John's brows twitched. "So... be myself?" he asked, looking moderately confused, equivalent to a lost puppy. "I hear that a lot, but... how can I be myself if I don't really know who that is yet? How... did you know who you are, Bruce?"_

_"To be honest, I... don't. No one does." Bruce replied, taking a sip of coffee._

_"Sometimes I can feel someone... a few layers deep. Pacing. Like an animal in a cage! Heh..." his grin turned from genuine to unsettling. "Just looking for something to start it... _ _ **the prison break** _ _."_

_Bruce stared blankly at him. John blinked, and then shook his head erratically. "I-I'm quite... scrambled."_

_"Hey, that's what I like about you." Bruce put his cup down with a small clink. "And I bet that's what Harley will like too."_

_"But how does that even work!" John demanded suddenly, unexpectedly slamming his fist on the table. It turned a few heads. Bruce's gaze quickly swept over everyone who had been disturbed, then settled back on John as he leaned forward, lowering his voice._

_"Bond with her. Lend a hand every now and then, y'know?"_

_"I don't know Bruce. I have a tough time just... talking to her!" he exclaimed angrily, clearly frustrated with himself. Bruce didn't like to see it. Harley was playing him for a fool. In her eyes, he was just a toy. "Ooh! I've got an idea; let's play pretend!"_

_"Uh - what—_

_"You be Harley!" he seemed excited at the notion. "Say something Harley would say!"_

_Bruce stared at him. John looked so expectant. "Uh... ugh. Bane is... such a loser._

_"Oh yeah, what are you gonna do to him?" John's eyebrows were close to wriggling._

_"...snuff out his light." Bruce said blankly. "I don't know what she would say."_

_"Heh! I'd kill for some front row seats to that!" he leaned back. "Okay, okay! Now... say something... date-like! Like, we're out painting the town red!"_

_"Hi, Jon. I like hiking." Bruce gave him a small smile. "Do you like the outdoors—_

_"WHY WON'T YOU LOVE ME?!"_

_He'd practically dragged Bruce over the table by his collar. The two stared at each other, wide-eyed, and then their focus shifted to the person sitting on their left, who was just as startled. John looked back, and studied Bruce's expression, before he finally let him go and they both settled back in their seats. _

_"So what do you think!" John whispered, his eyes lighting up. "Pretty good, right?!"_

_He lifted his coffee. "...a little strong."_

_"...damn it," he dropped his head on the table, and then dragged himself back up again, "this is pointless!"_

_"Hey, hey. It's okay, John. I thought it was... kind of cute, actually." Bruce told him, prompting John's gaze to lift. "...I mean, you'd be surprised. Some girls prefer a cute, genuine guy over... well... someone like me."_

_"Like you, Bruce? Are you kidding me? You're handsome. Like, so handsome," John grinned, "and chaos... it's almost like... it's drawn to you. Or maybe, you're drawn to _ _ **it** _ _..."_

_John trailed off. He seemed to be slipping into his own thoughts, slowly losing his smile, as if realizing something. Bruce cleared his throat, and then put on his best Harley impression. "...anyway, uh. What was your favourite thing about Arkham? For me it was... Sloppy Joe Fridays."_

_John's eyes lit up. "Bruce! This is just UNCANNY!" he exclaimed, "okay okay! Here we go. I enjoyed... the lights. They had a hum to them, felt like a blanket. Fuzzy, even. I miss that on the outside. It... it doesn't feel... as real here. You know? Out here, chaos seems to rule the day. It's loud and uneven. But you, Harley... you thrive on it. I could learn form that because I thrive on you. You're my light outside of Arkham."_

_Bruce stared at him. The seconds ticked by in silence. He hadn't even though John was capable of something... beautiful. Not like that. And the longer he sat there, as the Batsignal lit up in the dark sky behind John, the more Bruce started to realize, there was a lot more to this man.  
_

"I know I said you needed to talk to someone... but... Joker isn't who I had in mind, Bruce."

"You need to trust me Tiffany."

Bruce finished doing the buttons up to his blazer. It felt like forever since the last time he'd actually worn a suit. He hadn't attended any formal meetings in quite some time... not after... the entirety of Wayne Enterprises had been murdered.

"I do trust you. I mean... even if you cut me out sometimes." Tiffany lifted her eyes to him, standing by the door with her arms folded. She hadn't been happy about that predicament at Ace Chemicals, and she still wasn't. But she respected him. "But a social call with John Doe? Seriously?"

"It isn't a social call. And I'm not going there to _'talk'_ to him; not how you think." Bruce adjusted his tie, turning to face her. "I still need to get to the bottom of how he escaped in the first place. Something doesn't add up."

"Right, but," she sighed, "once he sees you... he's gonna take it that way."

"Maybe that isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"You really think there's still a chance for him?" Tiffany's arms fell to her sides, as Bruce passed her, walking out of the parlor and into the mansion's main hall. She followed him. "You think you can... _rehabilitate _him?"

Bruce looked at his watch. It was time to go. "That's what I'm going to find out."

"I don't know what the hell you see in that murdering psychopath." Tiffany looked off to the side, but then paused. "...rich, coming from me. I guess."

"Hey. You know drawing a comparison there is ridiculous. Joker is... he's different, Tiffany. But maybe somewhere, deep down in all that... chaos. There's something worth saving." Bruce sounded wholeheartedly sincere. She shifted from one foot to the other, before finally looking at him again.

"...you really love him, don't you."

Bruce looked at her over his shoulder. She returned his gaze, before he set his sights outside. She never received a response. He sped off in his car, and she watched from the patio, leaning her back on the doorframe. "...don't end up driving the knife deeper Bruce," she muttered under her breath.

He knew it was a possibility.

That all of this would just cause more pain.

He reached into the glovebox as he drove, taking out the crumpled card John had given him at Lucius's funeral. The sad little bear on the front looked even more miserable with all the creases and torn edges. He opened it up.

_'Get well soon - John.'_

Bruce tucked it safely away in the inside pocket of his suit.

Maybe to make this right, he had to go back to when this whole thing started.

Because Batman never gave up on anybody.


End file.
